# Newbie Question: Johnny O's



## baderjkbr (Jun 21, 2010)

From what I'm told it's a CC, but who makes them. I mean is it one of the big guys? Right now I smoke NC's, but I dig the shaggy foot Johnny O. I would like to know a little more about them. Not asking where to find them. Just the maker and so on. Stuff like that.


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## ckay (May 10, 2010)

They are custom rolled.


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## baderjkbr (Jun 21, 2010)

Got it.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Bunch of hype really a Custom roll with no proved origin. Sold by a guy in south Florida. Supposedly Cuban Tobacco but ask yourself this how does he get it in the states. Doesn't taste exactly Cuban but doesn't taste Non Cuban. If you ask any direct questions the guy blows you off. Best smoked as soon as you get them as aging them seems to be a death sentence. Then again for the money there is a mystic about them. You either love em or hate em but everybody should try one!


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## niterider56 (Jun 30, 2006)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Bunch of hype really a Custom roll with no proved origin. Sold by a guy in south Florida. Supposedly Cuban Tobacco but ask yourself this how does he get it in the states. Doesn't taste exactly Cuban but doesn't taste Non Cuban. If you ask any direct questions the guy blows you off. Best smoked as soon as you get them as aging them seems to be a death sentence. Then again for the money there is a mystic about them. You either love em or hate em but everybody should try one!


I agree Tony they are good fresh although they are usually shipped wet. But I do have some that are about 4 years old and they are very good with coffee in the morning.


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## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

I heard the difference with the Johnny O's is that it _is_ Cuban tobacco, but instead of them being rolled on the thighs of Cuban virgins, they are rolled on the thighs of loose Hatian women.

That, & of course... There is no marijuana in the Johnny O's.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

I think that we might have been down this road before. :hat:


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

Interesting info here. I just received two Johnny O's last week and I've been quite curious about them as well.


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> If you ask any direct questions the guy blows you off.


That is not necessarily true. Johnny answered all my questions when I first bought from him. As for how he gets them, I'm sure that he has some connection to get to the island. Occasionally he will have Cuban cigarettes and name brand CCs for sale (which as far as I can tell there have never been any complaints).


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

JGD said:


> That is not necessarily true. Johnny answered all my questions when I first bought from him. As for how he gets them, I'm sure that he has some connection to get to the island. Occasionally he will have Cuban cigarettes and name brand CCs for sale (which as far as I can tell there have never been any complaints).


In your case its not true that doesn't mean in others experiences it isn't true Jim. This complaint is common amongst those who do business with John. Personally when i spend my money i expect to be able to ask a question. If i get the brush off i then give the brush off. The cigars are not anything so fantastic. I gave the last 10 away that i had gotten from my last order. Come to think of it over the years i have had many custom rolls. Very few live up to the hype that has been built up around them. Your new to this thing Jim i have been doing it 30 years now. Go ahead ask any old timer about custom rolls and what they are willing to pay and what they expect of them.That's really what this thread is about anyways :rant:


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

JGD said:


> That is not necessarily true. Johnny answered all my questions when I first bought from him. As for how he gets them, I'm sure that he has some connection to get to the island. Occasionally he will have Cuban cigarettes and name brand CCs for sale (which as far as I can tell there have never been any complaints).


This has also been my experience. He answered all the questions I had and keeps his "trade secrets" to himself or with people close to him. There's a reason why he doesn't publicly advertise much, if any, information about his cigars. If you take the time to speak with him privately, though, he will take the time to answer your questions. Assuming, of course, the questions aren't along the lines of, "How do you get them?"


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

baderjkbr said:


> From what I'm told it's a CC, but who makes them. I mean is it one of the big guys? Right now I smoke NC's, but I dig the shaggy foot Johnny O. I would like to know a little more about them. Not asking where to find them. Just the maker and so on. Stuff like that.


These are questions that Johnny himself will answer for you. He does advertise this info publicly, but will tell you privately. Just shoot him a message or email, and he will get back to you.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

niterider56 said:


> I agree Tony they are good fresh although they are usually shipped wet. But I do have some that are about 4 years old and they are very good with coffee in the morning.


Yes after a couple of months they lose their kick. If they where the only cigar i smoked then buying a bundle a month is no problem. They are not however the only cigar i smoke. Many i have spoken to feel the same way. Smoke em young or put them to rest for many years. He does have quite a business many are content to buy one or two bundles a month and smoke nothing else. He advertises on many of the cigar boards that allow it. When he encounters those who are well educated he tends to beat around the bush so to speak. He will circle the airport with no intentions of landing. I have only ordered 3 bundles from him in the past year. Maybe he only feels comfortable talking shop with those who have bought for a long time. Or maybe he has no solid answers because there aren't any . I really don't know as i said they are not a great Custom Roll but they are unique enough. Everyone should try them IMHO.


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

*I've always had very pleasant experiences with John and have had all my questions answered promptly and what I would consider fair. Maybe I'm not asking the deep dark ones that everyone really wants to know the answers to but everything I experienced with John has been nothing but pleasurable. I have less than a year history with him but have loaded up pretty good with a lot of the different sizes. Some do better right away than others but the real story with me is going to be down the road with some time involved. But I have laid them to rest with some magic dust sprinkled about them and a few SW Indian chants mumbled over the entire burial ground. :lie:**:dunno:*


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> In your case its not true that doesn't mean in others experiences it isn't true Jim. This complaint is common amongst those who do business with John.


I understand what you are saying, I was simply saying that he has answered questions I asked him. Of course, I did not ask him how he got them. This is because I wouldn't expect him to give me an answer to that question. But, he was able to tell me who rolled them, what region the tobacco was from, and when he got them.

All this being said, while Johnny-O's are not my favorite cigars, they are pretty good for their cost, and they are a nice change of pace with a lot of earthy flavors. They do tend to have draw issues more often then not, but after a few minutes of work you can usually get them to open up nicely.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

JGD said:


> I understand what you are saying, I was simply saying that he has answered questions I asked him. Of course, I did not ask him how he got them. This is because I wouldn't expect him to give me an answer to that question. But, he was able to tell me who rolled them, what region the tobacco was from, and when he got them.
> 
> All this being said, while Johnny-O's are not my favorite cigars, they are pretty good for their cost, and they are a nice change of pace with a lot of earthy flavors. They do tend to have draw issues more often then not, but after a few minutes of work you can usually get them to open up nicely.


Granted Jim i understand what you are saying. No one expects him to give up his trade secrets. It does however strike me odd that he would have access to Cuban Tobacco. Cuban Tobacco allocation is strictly regulated. True there is Cuban farm tobacco available unregulated not properly fermented cured ETC. These are not Habano's i just wanted anybody new venturing into them to know the facts. There is a black Market but penalty's are strict and viciously enforced. Then there is the issue of getting out of the country.The Cuban government is not going to allow anyone to take money out of their pockets. Seems like a lot of work for a bargain cigar don't you think? Also these are not the best strain of tobaccos but rather more on par with the tobacco grown for cigarettes and machine mades. Its not like when the government sends a roller like Rudolfo Tobada to an LCDH with tobacco to custom roll cigars. Now those are a real treat.


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## Scardinoz (Mar 15, 2010)

JGD said:


> But, he was able to tell me who rolled them, what region the tobacco was from, and when he got them.


This was my same experience with him.

I have yet to have any draw issues. I enjoyed good earth and barnyard notes out of what I have had. John told me to smoke them fresh or after two years. I have only had them fresh thus far but the two year mark is only about a year away.


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## bouncintiga (Feb 3, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Its not like when the government sends a roller like Rudolfo Tobada to an LCDH with tobacco to custom roll cigars. Now those are a real treat.


I need to try one of those lol


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

bouncintiga said:


> I need to try one of those lol


Impossible Rudolfo Tobada is old his health is failing he is retired.
I wish i could get my hands on some of his cigars.
They reminded me of the Davidoffs when they were made in Cuba!


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

JGD said:


> I understand what you are saying, I was simply saying that he has answered questions I asked him. Of course, I did not ask him how he got them. This is because I wouldn't expect him to give me an answer to that question. But, he was able to tell me who rolled them, what region the tobacco was from, and when he got them.
> 
> All this being said, while Johnny-O's are not my favorite cigars, they are pretty good for their cost, and they are a nice change of pace with a lot of earthy flavors. They do tend to have draw issues more often then not, but after a few minutes of work you can usually get them to open up nicely.


This has been my experience as well. Who says that he has access to Cuban tobacco? He only has access to custom rolled cigars. And so what if he does? Don't we have access to it? We smoke it almost daily. How does anyone know what "strain" of tobaccos he's using when he's not the one rolling? On par with cigarette tobacco? I recall the clippings left over from just about every top quality brand being used for cigarettes? It's good to be skeptic when it comes to an industry wrought with counterfeiting, but let's not get carried away. Johnny-O's reputation spans at least 5 years. Many people have smoked his cigars with age and have nothing but good things to say about how his cigars are with 2-6 years on them (I haven't read about anyone smoking anything older).


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

*I think it is cuban leaf and takes the long boat around to get into FL. I'm sure there is leaf leaving the island and getting to other places that can ship here with no or very few questions asked. How could a customs agent tell island leaf from say Hond or Nic or even Mex leaf?* *I never asked where they were rolled just who was rolling them and got specific names of rollers.
I also asked where the leaf was originated but never how it was originated.
That's all I wanted to know and the answers were good with me!
*


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## smelvis (Sep 7, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Bunch of hype really a Custom roll with no proved origin. Sold by a guy in south Florida. Supposedly Cuban Tobacco but ask yourself this how does he get it in the states. Doesn't taste exactly Cuban but doesn't taste Non Cuban. If you ask any direct questions the guy blows you off. Best smoked as soon as you get them as aging them seems to be a death sentence. Then again for the money there is a mystic about them. You either love em or hate em but everybody should try one!


I didn't read below this post but oh well I am answering Tony 

I was gifted a few fresh I did not like them aged I will let you know in another 6 months or longer. Just my opinion and I admit I have only tried two both newly rolled!


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